


Just Say Yes

by K_booklover98



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bigotry & Prejudice, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Hogwarts Sixth Year, Light Angst, Secret Relationship, Star-crossed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-21 08:32:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14912021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_booklover98/pseuds/K_booklover98
Summary: Theo is confident, Hermione is hesitant. Together, they're something extraordinary.





	Just Say Yes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [augusthollande](https://archiveofourown.org/users/augusthollande/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [augusthollande](https://archiveofourown.org/users/augusthollande/pseuds/augusthollande) in the [harrypotter_noncanon_ships](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/harrypotter_noncanon_ships) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
> Personally, I like to think of Theodore Nott and Draco Malfoy as two sides of the same coin: they're both Slytherin, pureblood, the son of a Death Eater and raised to believe in anti-Muggle prejudice and pureblood supremacy. But while Draco accepts his father's views and follows his footsteps in blind faith, Theodore is more pragmatic and wary of getting involved in the cult of Voldemort. He might share the Slytherin prejudice against Muggleborns, he might not, but he recognises that their magic and intelligence is not inferior and is careful not to make an enemy of either side.
> 
> I'd like to see Hermione meeting the only Slytherin who's willing to treat her as his equal, and what kind of relationship they could have. I don't mind where it goes; if they keep it as their dirty little secret, if Hermione helps overcome Theodore's prejudices and brings him to the light side, if Theo betrays her in the end, or if they simply can't reconcile their differences and just choose to go their own separate ways. I don't mind the setting or whether or not it's canon/canon-divergent/AU. I don't mind if it ends happily, tragically, or if it's fluff, angst or romance. Just want to see some star-crossed, Gryffindor/Slytherin love!
> 
> **Author's Notes**
> 
> When I saw this prompt I immediately fell in love with it! I'm a sucker for inter-house relationships and I am all for redeeming Slytherins! I hope you like this, I kind of just took what you asked for and rolled with it, so I hope that it turned out okay. I may have to write more of this pairing in the future, they were a lot of fun to play with.

Hermione roamed the various isles of the school library, looking for a very specific book title. With Harry and Ron off playing quidditch, it gave her some time to just be by herself. She enjoyed the peace and quiet the library was able to offer her. It calms her nerves, distracted her from everything else going on in the world. From Ron’s constant complaining, to Harry’s weird obsession of Malfoy this past year, Hermione was grateful for the studious distraction and the smell of old books.

As she turned another corner, her hand tracing down yet another book spine, she ran smack into somebody else.

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” she said, bending down to pick up the books she’d dropped.

“It’s my bad,” the other replied, bending down to help her pick up her lost items.

Reaching out for the same book, their hands overlapped, and Hermione felt a shiver run up her arm and down her spine. Looking up, her eyes were met with deep brown ones. “Oh, um, thanks,” she said, slowly standing back up. The Slytherin, as she now realized as she looked him over, did the same.

“No problem,” he said, handing her the book title she’d dropped. “ _Quintessential Magic and Other Extraterrestrial Phenomenons_?” The boy asked.

Hermione blushed, taking the book. “I sort of have a thing for the unknown and figuring out how to find it,”

The Slytherin smirked. “Quite an interesting topic. One might mistake you for a Ravenclaw,”

Hermione’s blush seemed to widen. She wasn’t sure why, but he was making her feel incredibly nervous. “Is that a compliment?”

“Slytherins are capable of the sentiment, yes,”

“Sorry,” Hermione began, “I didn’t mean—”

“I know,” he said, extending a hand. “Relax. The names Nott,”

“Granger,” Hermione said, firmly shaking his hand. “So, Nott, what brings you to the library this late at night?”

“I procrastinated a bit too long on Slughorn's potions assignment,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I needed a quiet place to study, so, here I am.” and then with a smirk he added, “although, if late night studying means running into pretty girls like you, maybe I should slack off more often,”

The blush that had started to fade was back and brighter than ever. “Oh, well, thank you, but, I wouldn’t call myself—”

Nott laughed, and Hermione wanted to melt into the floor. “You Gryffindors sure do get flustered easily,” he said. “Come on, let’s go sit,”

Hermione wasn’t sure why, but she nodded, allowing the Slytherin to lead her over to a nearby table. The two ended up sitting across from each other, all of their school work spread out as they began to study together.

“So where are your two bodyguards at?” Nott asked. At her confused face, he rolled his eyes. “You know? Potter and Weasley?”

Hermione snorted. “Quidditch of course,” she said. “What about you? Don’t you Slytherins usually travel in packs,”

“That’s because nobody trusts us to be on our own,” he replied.

Hermione frowned. “Why’s that?”

“Oh come on,” he said. “With everything that’s been going on? Nobody trusts Slytherins, we’re the bad guys,”

“You don’t seem so bad,”

“You don’t even know me,”

“But I think I’d like to,”

Nott leaned over the table, flashing her a bright smile. “Is that right, Granger?”

Hermione didn’t know why, but it was true. She _did_ want to know more about him. “Hanging out with Gryffindors all the time can get a bit boring,”

“And you think a Slytherin will help liven things up a bit?”

“I think it’ll help take my mind off of a few things,”

Nott sat contemplating for a few moments. “And what’s in it for me?”

Hermione shrugged. “A friend?”

“With you?” Nott scoffed.

Hermione frowned. “I thought we were having a good time,”

“No offense, but...I can’t really be seen hanging out with someone like you,”

“What do you—” but then it clicked. Hermione frowned, scowling across the table. “Someone like me.” she said.

“Well, not just that you’re a Gryffindor—”

“But because I’m a mudblood?” she accused.

“Ssh!” Nott admonished, looking around them. “Don’t say that!”

“But it’s what you were thinking, isn’t it?” she demanded.

Nott gave a deep sigh. “Look, I could care less about whether or not you were born into a long line of wizards or not, but it’s everyone else I’m concerned about.”

Hermione huffed, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair, still glaring.

Nott smiled. “You’re cute when you’re angry. But I’m serious. We can’t be seen together,”

“Then go,”

“Well, no one's around now,”

Hermione looked around, and it was true. The library was pretty much vacant except for Madam Pince and a lone second year Hufflepuff a ways away, and well out of earshot. “What are you saying?”

“That maybe we can find a way to hang out without causing a scene,”

“What, you want to hide?” Hermione asked, incredulously. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a Gryffindor, we don’t tend to hide from our problems,”

“And incase _you’ve_ forgotten, I’m a Slytherin, we tend to be quite sneaky and mysterious.”

Hermione huffed. “I don’t know…”

“So then just say yes,”

Hermione sized Nott up, but it was hard to tell him no. He was just so...enticing. It’s probably just a Slytherin thing, but Hermione couldn’t help but to feel drawn toward him for some reason. Plus, how could she say no to those chocolatey brown eyes? “Fine…”

\---

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Hermione asked one night.

The two had been hanging out together over the past couple of weeks. At first they had been little study sessions at the library whenever they happened to run into each other. Then they started planning the visits, every Thursday night, an hour before curfew. Then two hours before curfew. Then it was every Wednesday and Thursday after dinner in the library. It kept escalating, until one night, Nott suggested they take a night stroll around the giant lake. Now, they currently sat under a huge oak tree, staring out into the watery depths, watching as the moon lit up the grounds.

Nott shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Hermione snorted. “Would you like a list?”

Nott laughed. “By all means,”

“Well, to start, I’m a loud mouth Gryffindor,” Nott gave another laugh to that. “Let’s see, what else? I’m muggle born...best friends with the Saviour of the Wizarding world… best friends with Ron, who may I remind you whose family is hated pretty much by every other pure blooded family out there. I openly talk about how much I despise Voldemort and all of his followers, and—oh yeah, I can’t stand quidditch,”

Nott was close to tears now, as he couldn't stop laughing.

“I’m serious!” Hermione exclaimed. “I just don’t get it!”

Nott wiped the tears away, taking deep breaths, before placing a hand on her shoulder. “Granger, you’re anything but a loud mouth Gryffindor. You’re passionate about the things you love, and I admire that greatly about you. I don’t care that you’re muggleborn. I wouldn’t care if you had blue skin and boils everywhere. You’re beautiful and I think you’re amazing.”

“You’re best friends with Potter, someone who isn't afraid to fight for what he believes in, something I _wish_ that I had the guts to do. Weasley’s family too, my family is a huge supporter of the Dark Lord, but that doesn’t mean that I agree with it all. But they’re a family, and they support each other when nobody else will. That’s something I wish I could say for myself, but I can’t. If my family knew where my loyalties lied, they’d disown me for sure.”

“And you have every right to speak your mind about anything and everything. You deserve to be heard, and I could sit here for hours listening to you talk about S.P.E.W and equal rights for wizards, witches, and magical creatures alike. And as for your hate of quidditch, well, I was never really into the sport either,” he added with a grin.

Hermione was in tears by the end of Nott’s speach, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tight. “You are amazing,”

“I’m an evil Slytherin,” he joked.

Hermione shook her head, kissing his cheek. “You’re more than that. You’re my friend and I’m happy you’re here with me,”

Nott smiled, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “Anything for you,”

Hermione sniffed, looking away. “You don’t mean that,”

“But I do,” he said, sitting up so that their shoulders were brushing against one another. “You’re my friend too, and I only want what’s best for you,”

“And what would be best for me?”

“Me, of course,”

Hermione laughed, rolling her eyes. “In your dreams,”

“You can’t say no to me forever, you know,”

“I can try,”

“Why say no, when you could just say yes?”

Hermione sent him a smirk of her own. “Because it’ll be worth the wait,”

\---

Nott never acknowledged her in the halls. At first it was fine, but now it felt like a stab in the back. The other students still called her names and poked fun at her. Obviously the Gryffindors were there to have her back, but where was Nott when she needed him?

“...and oh look, here they come now!” Malfoy sneered as the Golden Trio made their way towards potions class. “If it isn’t Potter, Weasel, and the mud—”

“Shove off, Malfoy,” Ron growled.

“Or what? You’ll run and tell mummy?” Draco teased.

“Seriously, knock it off, Malfoy,” Potter said.

“Guys, it’s fine,” Hermione said, placing a hand on both of their shoulders. “I don’t want you two to start anything with him, he isn’t worth it,”

“Yeah, you should listen to your little friend, Potty,” Malfoy said with a laugh as Pansy began to cackle. “Wouldn’t want to upset the mudbl—”

“That’s enough, Malfoy,”

Malfoy stopped, turning around to face Nott. “What?”

“I said that’s enough,” he said, louder, walking over to him. “They aren’t worth it, just leave it alone,”

“But they—”

“What are you, five? I said knock it off!”

Draco huffed, glaring at the group, before stalking off, a haughty Pansy following behind him.

Ron and Harry were both highly irritated for the rest of the day, but Hermione felt as though she was walking on air.

\---

“Just say yes,”

“I can’t,”

“Why won’t you just go out with me?” Nott insisted.

“Because I don’t want to be your dirty little secret!” Hermione shouted.

The two stood alone in an empty classroom and Nott looked stunned. “Granger—”

“You won’t even call me by my first name!” Hermione started, the tears beginning to overflow. “How could I possibly want to be with you?”

That last one stung, and Nott didn’t have an answer.

“I don’t want to see you anymore,” Hermione said, before exiting out of the room.

\---

“What an arse,” Harry said, after Hermione told them everything.

“But a Slytherin though?” Ron asked for the tenth time.

Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes. “Yes, Ron, would you like to rub it in some more?”

Ron frowned. “I’m not rubbing it in, I’m just surprised. It’s just not like you, I mean, why Nott? He doesn’t at all seem like your type?”

“Oh, and you are?” Hermione teased.

“Eww, gross!” he said. “You’re like a sister to me, and I’m perfectly fine with Lavender.”

“Well, we can’t all find loving Gryffindors to spend the rest of our lives with,”

“Are you talking about me having a crush on Ginny?” Harry accused, but he was smiling.

Ron groaned. “Yeah, maybe _you_ should go find yourself a Slytherin,”

“Why would I do that?”

Hermione grinned. “They really aren’t that bad. It’s really just Malfoy, who you’ve been obsessed with this whole time,”

“Yeah, what if _he_ asked you out!” Ron said, before breaking out into a fit of laughter.

“Oh Merlin, I wouldn’t even know what to say to that!” Harry said, looking stuck between confusion and utter horror.

Hermione laughed. “Just say yes,”

\---

“Hermione!”

Hermione stopped in her tracks, turning around at the sound of that familiar voice.

“Hermione,” Nott called out as he ran down the hallway to meet up with her.

“Nott?” he asked.

“The name’s Theo,” he said, bounding over to her, a huge smile on his face. “And I _really_ want to try this again.

Hermione frowned. “Try what again?”

“This, whatever… _this_ is.” he said. “Look, Hermione, I like you a lot, and you’re right. I’ve been acting like a total arse lately. But I _really_ like you. Not only are you a great friend, but you’re amazing, you’re beautiful, and I just want to _be_ with you,”

Hermione blushed, staring around at the crowd that was beginning to form, including Harry and Ron behind her, and Draco, as well as a bunch of other Slytherin students behind Theo, as well as other students either waiting for class or just simply roaming the halls.

“Why are you doing this?” Hermione asked.

“To prove a point,” Nott said. “You aren’t just another Gryffindor, or muggleborn, or whatever. You’re you, and I love that. You aren’t afraid to stand up to anyone, and you refuse to be treated anything less than you deserve. I’ve been treating you like I’ve been ashamed of our relationship, when in all honesty, I want to shout it to the rooftops,” he said.

Hermione was blushing bright read from the tips of her ears, all the way down to her neck. “Nott...Theo,” she said, trying to hide her face.

Theo reached a hand out, tilting her head up. “Go out with me. We can go out to Hogsmeade this weekend, just you and me,”

Hermione bit her lip. “Well...when you put it like that, what am I supposed to say?”

Theo gave her his signature smirk. “Just say yes,”

\---

“Was it worth the wait?” Hermione asked.

Theo smiled, kissing Hermione underneath their tree by the lake. “Definitely.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy! I can't _not_ end a story on a happy note, I think it's impossible for me. This was a lot of fun to write, and once I started writing, the story just kind of took over. I might seriously write more of these two in the future :)


End file.
